Tank filler-cap lock



w. P. LOWTHER' TANK FILLER CAP LOCK July 4, 1933.

Filed July 5, 1.932

ATTORNEY Patented July 4, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENToFFicE:

7 WILLIAM I. LOWTHER, F MERCED, CALIFORNIA TANK FILLER-CAP LOCK Application filed July 5, 1932. Serial No. 620,783.

the turning movement of the key to an un-' locking position caused the locking tongues to be initially raised in the filler tube or barrel from which with the rough tubes or pipes usually used for the purpose tended to cause the tongues to stick and prevented the easy release of the same.

The principal object of the present invention is to retain all the advantages of the previous structure while mounting the swinging arms on which the locking tongues are supported in connection with the body and key controlled member of the lock in such a manner that the initial unlocking movement of the arms takes place inwardly and laterallyof the pipe and lock barrel; or in such a direction'that the tongues are released from contact with the wall of the tube before any downward movement of the tongues takes place. a

In this manner the instant release of the tongues is had irrespective of any roughness or irregular surface of the tube, and a minimum of strain in the releasing movement is placed on the key and the somewhat delicate lock mechanism. a

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as willfully. appearloy a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views: l

Fig. '1 is a sectional elevation of my i1nengaged with an outlet tube .or pipe.

Fig. 2 is a similar view ,showingthe looking tongues as initially retractedby the turning of the key. a

Fig. 3 is ,a sectional plan on the line 8-3 of Fig. 1.

proved lock and capunit showing the lock ;ner as shown in said patent.

' Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view, partly in section, on the line 4.4 of Fig. 1.

Referring now 'more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the

numeral 1 denotes a cylindrical body or bars rel which is adapted to have a free fit man i inlet pipe or filler tube 2 and is provided with an enlarged head 3 on its upper end. The head overhangs the top of the pipe and is provided with a countersunk gasket ring 4 adapted to engage the top edge of the pipe toform an air-tight seal therewith.

The body is provided with a central bore '5 which extends from the bottom nearly to the top of the head; diametrically opposed slots Gbeing cut through the body from the bore to the sides of'the same and extending from the bottom of the body to a point short of the gasket 4:.

Disposed in the body in crossing relation to each other are arms 7 which project into the slots and across the bore. These arms are separately pivoted toward their outer upper ends; on eccentrics 8. On their outer ends the arms are fitted with transversely extending the pin 11 exerts an upward pressureagainst the latter and acts to turn the lower ends of the arms 7 upwardly and thus extend the whose rotation is controlled by a key insertable'in the barrel of a lock of the standard cylinder and pin type and which is countersunk in one side of the head 3 in the same man- The eccentrics 8 are fixed on pins 16 which .are turnably supported in the body; said eccentrics having arms 17 secured thereto to the sides of the arms 7 and overlapping the V somewhat exaggerated and for the purposes the slot 13. The outer ends of the arms 17 are slotted as at 18, the slots being engaged by a cross pin 19 fixed in the link.

In the normal position of the parts or when they are in locking relation with the pipe, the crank 15 is at its upper dead center position, as shown in Fig. 1. The link and the arms 17 are then in their uppermost position while the lower portions of the arms 7 are near their uppermost position. The slot 13 only tends to move the tongues outwardly and i into firmer engagement with the pipe as fully shown and described in said patent. /Vhen the crank 15 is lowered by the turning of the key in the lock the link 10 is lowered also. In the previous device this lowering of the link was immediately accompanied by a depression of the lower portion of the arms 7 which imparted an upward movement to their upper ends and to the tongues. This feature as stated in the preamble of this application sometimes caused the tongues to catch against the tube if the same was rough and interfered with the easy release of the tongues, besides placing an excessive strain on the delicate mechanism of the lock itself. In the present invention this is avoided by the use of the eccentrics on which the arms are turnably mounted and by the manner in which the eccentrics are connected to the link. WVhen the crank is in its topmost position as above stated the eccentrics are so positioned relative to their pivot pins 16 that with the initial lowering of the link and turning of the eccentric arms, the corresponding rotation of the eccentrics pulls the tongue arms inwardly. With this initial inward movement of the arms there is no lowering movement of the same, since such lowering movement is controlled by the engagement of the upper end of the slot 13 with the pin 11; and as previously stated said upper end is normally some distance above the pin. The link must therefore be lowered some distance before the engagement of the slot with the pin takes place and this distance is proportioned so that a sufficient turning movement of the eccentrics to draw the arms inwardly is had.

It is here to be noted that while I have shown this movement of the arms in the drawing as being considerable, this showing is of clearness of illustration only; since in practice a very slight movement is sufficient to effect the desired disengagement of the tongues from the pipe.

vice as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in de tail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the in- 'vention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new anduseful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a cap and lock structure for tubular outlets which includes a body to depend into and form a self-supporting cover over the outlet, arms having tongues on their outer ends to engage the inner wall of the outlet,

,means pivoting said arms intermediate their ends in the body, the arms having a downmoving means to cause the upper ends of the arms to be retracted in a direct inward direction before any raising of the same takes place.

2. In a cap and lock structure for tubular outlets which includes a body to depend into and form a self-supporting cover over the outlet, arms having tongues on their outer ends to engage the inner wall of the outlet, means pivoting said arms intermediatetheir ends in the body, the arms having a downward slant from their upper ends, means to move the lower ends of the arms downwardly whereby they will turn on their pivots and their upper ends will move inwardly and up- .wardly, and means functioning with the initial movement of the arm moving means to retract the upper ends of the arms'in a direct inward direction before any raising of the same takes place.

3. In a cap and lock structure for tubular outlets which includes a body to depend into and form a self-supporting cover over the outlet, arms having tongues on their outer ends to engage the inner wall of the outlet,

the arms having a downward slant from their upper ends; eccentrics forming pivot members for the arms intermediate their ends, pins turnably mounting the eccentrics in the body, means applied to the arms to move the through which the last named pin lower ends of the same down, and means between said arm moving means and the eccentrics to'rotate the latter an amount suf-v ficient to withdraw the tongues from engages ment with the outlet before any downward movement of the arms takes place.

4. In a cap and lock structure for tubular outlets which includes a body to depend into and form a self-supporting cover over the outlet, arms having tongues on their outer ends to engage the inner wall of the outlet, the arms having a downward slant from their upper ends; eccentrics forming pivot members pins turnably mounting the eccentrics in the body, a pin flexibly connecting the arms toward their lower ends, a link extending lengthwise in the body f and having a slot projects,

for the arms intermediate their ends,

means to move the link downwardly from a predetermined position, the slot being arranged relative to the pin so that the top wall of the slot engages the pin only-after a certain downward movement of the link has taken place, and means to turn the eccentrics with such certain downward movement of the link in a direction to cause the upper ends of the arms to be moved laterally and inwardly.

5. A structure as in claim 4, in which said last named means comprises arms rigid with the eccentrics and projecting thence in overlapping relation to the link, and a cross pin mounted on the link and engaging said eccentric arms. r V

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature;

WILLIAM P. LOWTHER. 

